The total collapse of Germany’s Russia policy is followed up by the collapse of transatlantic relations. This is almost too much to process. Yet both foreign policy failures were helped by denial from important parts our strategic community.

As every Trump and Musk move to destroy US state capacity fails to eradicate liberal values among 50% of Americans we'll see further radicalisation among MAGA Republicans who then destroy even more of the state to crush liberalism until there are no functioning institutions left

But there's more. Some people are especially attracted to FADFO policies. In turn: (a) people with a 'need for chaos', (b) people who are materially insulated, (c) political hobbyists, and (d) contrarians. The piece tries to set out who these people are and why they like disruption. 6/n

Ich halte die These, Trump charmiere Putin, weil er Russland und China auseinander dividieren wolle, um zur „klassischen Machtbalancepolitik“ zurückzukehren, für eine kühne Rationalisierung. Er wird auch mit China einen Deal machen und dafür Taiwan opfern, wenn es ihm nutzt.

Very brave. I only represent Republicans, not all Americans in my district. Hopefully those independent voters will let him know how they feel about this when he runs for Senate.

Hayes to Schumer: "All those things you enumerated are the kinds of things you'd be doing if Mitt Romney is president. There's this weird asymmetry right now."

NEW: Both Trump and Elon Musk were at another million-dollar 'candlelight' dinner at Mar-a-Lago where attendees were asked for $1 million to rsvp. Unlike the previous fundraiser WIRED reported, this event did not appear on Trump's official schedule.

from me and @zoeschiffer.bsky.social:

Putin & Trump have choreographed a scam where Trump will announce tomorrow that he persuaded Putin to allow a Ukrainian army surrounded to return home, and will use that to try to legitimize Putin’s demands so they can blame Ukraine when they don’t accept them. It is all a lie.

If Team Trump calls the current frontline between🇺🇦&🇷🇺 “border”, you know where these talks between Putin & Trump, two authoritarian leaders, are heading. Last Wake-up call for European leaders to shape their own security reality from conventional weapons to nuclear deterrence.

As part of Trump and Putin’s proposed carve-up of Ukraine tomorrow, Trump is considering recognising occupied Crimea as part of Russia.

Last 24hrs, I think:
- Director of national intel says Trump & Putin “very good friends and very focused on how we can strengthen … shared objectives”
- Trump openly talks about “dividing up certain assets” (i.e. Ukraine)
- Trump considering recognising Crimea as part of Russia

The Department of Justice was created in 1870 with an explicit mission to protect civil rights and enforce the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments.

The DOJ went after the Klan hard, securing thousands of indictments and 600+ convictions within the first year alone.

How about restoring *that* focus?

Jeffries: "The average Social Security recipient in the US receives about $65 a day in benefits. Elon Musk in his contracts with the federal government gets about $8 million a day. If they were really interested in waste, fraud, and abuse, they would start there ... but they're going after grandma"

Trying to imagine Biden withholding disaster funds from red states unless they first instituted gun control

Interessantes Gespräch auf der Schwelle zwischen Realitätsverleugnung und - anerkennung: Bundeswehr ja, aber nur mit "Abwehrwaffen". Schuldenbremse reformieren ja, aber nicht für rein "militärische Sicherheit". Der blinde Fleck linker Argumente: die Friedensdividende 1/2

www.zeit.de/politik/deut...

Dass Friedrich Merz die Schuldenbremse repariert, bestätigt meine Theorie, dass in unserem System Regierungsaufträge oft gegen den Charakter vergeben werden. Sozis müssen den Sozialstaat reformieren, Grüne Krieg führen, Konservative werden Keynsianer. Gut so.

Russia rejected the ceasefire? No this can’t be. I was assured that Zelensky was the one who caused all of this and was the aggressor getting in the way of peace.

Cutting off military aid and screaming at him in the White House was all pointless? No. I can’t believe it.

[Sigh].

A) Jelani Cobb is a great journalist and teacher of journalism and he oversaw his students as they did superb and vital work covering the protests on their campus.

B) He is telling them (as he says later) the honest and brutal truth: their school can't protect them from the Fed Govt.